“Subjective” vs. “Objective”: What’s The Difference?
- Quick Summary
- What Does Subjective Mean?
- What Does Objective Mean?
- How To Use Them
Has someone ever asked for your objective opinion? Or said that something is “entirely subjective ”? The words subjective and objective are used in all kinds of contexts, from journalism to science to grammar, and they’re often discussed as opposites. But what do they actually mean?
In most cases, it comes down to whether something is based on personal experience or on verifiable facts. But it can get confusing. An opinion or viewpoint can be said to be objective or subjective, depending on how it was formed. We’re here to clear all of that up by explaining what each word means and how each should be used.
⚡️ Quick summary
Subjective most commonly means based on the personal perspective or preferences of a person—the subject who’s observing something. In contrast, objective most commonly means not influenced by or based on a personal viewpoint—based on the analysis of an object of observation only.
What does subjective mean?
Generally speaking, subjective is used to describe something that exists in the mind of a person or that pertains to viewpoints of an individual person.
Sometimes, subjective means about the same thing as personal . Everyone’s experience of an event is subjective , because each person’s circumstances and background are unique, leading to different interpretations.
Subjective observation is centered on a person’s own mind and perspectives , as opposed to being general, universal, or scientific . In this way, describing an observation as subjective often implies that it comes with (or is based on) personal biases .
In philosophy, subjective specifically means relating to an object as it exists in the mind, as opposed to the thing as it exists in reality (the thing in itself). All perception relies on your mind, so your perception of a thing is ultimately subjective.
What does objective mean?
In most of its common uses, objective is contrasted with subjective, often as if it’s the opposite. Objective most commonly means not influenced by an individual’s personal viewpoint— unbiased (or at least attempting to be unbiased). It’s often used to describe things like observations, decisions, or reports that are based on an unbiased analysis.
Something that’s truly objective has nothing to do with a person’s own feelings or views—it just deals with facts. When someone says “Objectively speaking,” they’re indicating that they’re going to give an unbiased assessment—not one based on their personal preferences.
Journalists are trained to be as objective as possible when reporting—to leave their opinions out of it and just record and present the facts. This is called objectivity .
What else does objective mean?
In grammar, the word objective is applied to words that function as objects —the recipients of actions. In the sentence The dog ate my homework , the word homework is in the objective case (meaning that it’s the object —the recipient—of the action). The word subjective, on the other hand, is applied to a word that’s the subject of the sentence (in the given example, the dog is the subject—the one performing the action).
Learn more about the verbs that take direct objects—transitive verbs.
Objective is also commonly used as a noun meaning a goal or a target, as in The objective of this article is to teach you about the difference between objective and subjective .
Examples of subjective vs. objective
Let’s think about some scenarios in which something might be classified as subjective or objective.
Let’s say you’re a restaurant critic. There may be certain foods that you subjectively dislike—ones that are just not to your taste. But when critiquing dishes, you must leave your subjective tastes aside and be objective about what you eat—making objective judgments about things like how it’s cooked and seasoned and how the ingredients work together. Even if you’re served a dish that you subjectively don’t like, it’s your job to objectively assess its quality.
In a scientific experiment, your hypothesis might be based—at least in part—on your subjective opinion about what the results will be. But science is about being completely objective by gathering data and making conclusions based on the data.
In everyday life, your objective opinion is the one that sets aside your subjective preferences or feelings about something and instead assesses it based on facts and reality.
How to use subjective vs. objective
Use subjective when you’re talking about an opinion or feeling that is based on an individual’s perspective or preferences.
Use objective when you’re talking about something—like an assessment, decision, or report—that’s unbiased and based solely on the observable or verifiable facts.
Examples of subjective and objective used in a sentence
- All art is subjective —everyone has their own personal interpretation.
- We want to record your subjective views on the topic, so just be honest.
- You can always count on her for an objective opinion, no matter what her personal feelings are.
- Although my objective assessment is that the book is poorly written, I can’t help but love its enemies-to-friends plotline.
- The first part of the assignment is an objective analysis of the data; the second part is an essay on your subjective reaction to it.
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Subjective vs. Objective: What's the Difference?
By Hannah Yang
If you’re trying to write a strong essay or story, it’s often important to understand the difference between subjective and objective truth.
What exactly do the words subjective and objective mean, and when should you use each?
This article will explain the difference between the two words, provide examples of how they’re used in a sentence, and discuss whether you should look for objective or subjective information to support your own writing.
- What’s the Difference Between Subjective vs. Objective?
How Would You Use Objective and Subjective in a Sentence?
What are some examples of objective statements, what are some examples of subjective information, how can you tell if something is objective or subjective, what is an objective opinion, are impartial facts better than personal feelings, what’s the difference between subjective vs. objective .
The difference between objective and subjective is related to the difference between facts and opinions.
The word objective describes information that’s based on verifiable facts. Objective truth can be verified by a third party, regardless of who the third party is.
For example, the sentence “The temperature outside is around 10°C” is an objective statement, because that statement will be equally true no matter who says it. Anybody in the world with a working thermometer could verify this statement.
The word subjective is the exact opposite; it describes information that’s based on personal opinion or personal interpretation.
Subjective truth might be different for different people, depending on their own tastes, preferences, or experiences.
The sentence “It’s very cold outside” is a subjective statement, because how true this sentence is depends on personal opinions and experiences.
Many temperatures would feel very cold to someone who grew up in Arizona, but comfortably warm to someone who grew up in Alaska.
One easy way to remember the difference between the two words is to remember that “objective” sounds like “object.”
Objective facts are as concrete as the objects you can touch, like your desk, your bike, or your water bottle.
Subjective facts, on the other hand, pertain to more abstract concepts, like beauty, joy, or discomfort.
Here’s an example of a sentence that uses both objective and subjective in context:
"But now we, as pathologists, need more objective measures because symptoms, to a certain degree, are subjective ." (Time)
This sentence, a quote from a pathologist, argues that symptoms of diseases are somewhat subjective because they differ from person to person.
One patient with the flu might feel horribly nauseous, while another patient with the same flu might feel only a mild cough.
As a result, it’s useful for doctors to have objective tools to determine how ill people are, which don’t have results that vary from person to person.
That way, they can track the way a disease spreads even if not all patients feel the same symptoms.
Let’s look at another example.
"We take our unruly, subjective feelings about a year of television and groom them into something that looks mathematical and objective ." (Slate)
This sentence, a quote from a TV critic, argues that trying to rank TV shows is a meaningless task.
Every viewer has different tastes; some might love lighthearted sitcoms, while others prefer serious dramas.
There’s no objective way for a TV critic to determine a Top 10 list that applies to everybody, because everyone’s tastes and enjoyment levels are inherently subjective.
If what you’re writing can be proven or disproven by evidence, it’s an objective statement. Likewise, if you include a reference to an study or an experiment, it is an objective statement.
Remember to always reference information like this. ProWritingAid’s Plagiarism Checker can ensure that you never inadvertently pass off someone else’s work as your own.
Find out more about Plagiarism Checks.
Here are some examples of objective information:
- The largest freshwater fish ever caught was 646 pounds. (Cite- Brittanica)
- Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States.
- The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
- I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox.
Keep in mind that those statements would still be considered objective even if they were false.
It’s a common mistake to assume that “objective” is synonymous with “true,” but lies can be objective statements, too. The statement remains objective as long as it doesn’t depend on feelings or opinions.
For example, if William Carlos Williams had written “I didn’t eat any of the plums that were in the icebox,” even though he actually did, that would still qualify as an objective statement.
Here are some examples of false objective statements:
- Abraham Lincoln was the first president of the United States.
- The World Health Organization has never issued an official statement about COVID-19.
- I didn’t eat any of the plums that were in the icebox.
If a statement relies on personal feelings or beliefs, it’s likely to be subjective.
Here are some examples of subjective statements:
- It feels very warm outside.
- Dogs are better than cats.
- The plums in the icebox tasted delicious.
Watch out for subjective information that’s disguised as objective analysis. For example, a newspaper headline that says “New Study Shows That Dogs Are 85% Better Than Cats” sounds like an objective fact. However, because it depends on personal preferences and opinions, it’s still a subjective statement.
Here are some subjective statements that are disguised to sound like objective statements:
- It is objectively very warm outside.
- A new study shows that dogs are 85% better than cats.
- Plums in iceboxes taste ten times better than plums that are left in the heat.
If you’re not sure whether a statement is objective or subjective, here are some useful questions you can ask yourself.
To determine whether a statement is objective , ask:
- Is this statement based on factual evidence?
- Is there a way a scientist could test this statement to figure out if it’s true or false?
- Would a robot without any concept of human emotion be able to say this statement?
If the answers to any of the above questions are “yes,” you’re probably dealing with an objective statement.
To determine whether a statement is subjective , ask:
- Is this statement based on someone’s feelings, preferences, or personal tastes?
- Is it impossible to determine whether this statement is true or false?
- Does this statement make a judgement about something (e.g. good or bad, right or wrong, beautiful or ugly)?
If the answers to any of the above questions are “yes,” you’re probably dealing with a subjective statement.
You can also look at the source of the statement to help you figure out how objective it is.
Sources like peer-reviewed scientific articles and unbiased news articles tend to contain more objective material.
Sources like opinion pieces and creative non-fiction tend to contain more subjective material.
The phrase "objective opinion" might seem counterintuitive, since these two words are essentially opposites.
In this context, the word "objective" means unbiased and impartial, rather than factual. This is also true for the phrase "objective assessment."
For example, you might ask a friend for an objective opinion about whether or not you should break up with your boyfriend.
In this scenario, your friend can’t give you objective advice if they have a personal reason for wanting you to make this decision, such as if they’re secretly in love with your boyfriend too.
Whether you should use subjective or objective statements depends on what your goal is.
If you’re writing a persuasive essay, you’ll usually need factual or quantitative data to make your writing credible. It’s important to search for objective facts from a reliable and impartial source.
On the other hand, you can also make use of subjective evidence, such as personal anecdotes. If you’re writing a persuasive essay about why bullying is wrong, a heartfelt story from the perspective of someone who’s been bullied might touch more readers than impersonal facts.
Most strong essays make use of both subjective and objective truth.
Final Words on the Difference Between Subjective vs. Objective
There you have it: a comprehensive guide to the difference between subjective and objective statements. Which examples did you find most helpful? Let us know in the comments.
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Hannah Yang
Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.
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Objective vs. Subjective – What’s the Difference?
Home » Objective vs. Subjective – What’s the Difference?
In today’s climate of widespread, often heated disagreement, the ability to successfully distinguish facts from opinions is more important than ever. Effective arguments include both factual observations and value judgements based on those facts.
In this way, arguments contain both objective and subjective statements. But which is which?
It is important to note that both objective and subjective have multiple senses. In this article, I will focus on their use as they relate to the concepts of objectivity and subjectivity in the philosophy of knowledge, or in simpler terms, to facts and opinions.
Since this site is devoted to writing and language use, I would be remiss not to include a discussion on objective and subjective as grammatical senses, as well.
What is the Difference Between Objective and Subjective?
In this article, I will compare objective vs. subjective . I will use each word in an example sentence to illustrate its proper context.
Plus, I will give you a useful memory tool that will help you decide whether something is objective or subjective .
When to Use Objective
Here are some example sentences,
- The journalist strived to engage in objective reporting.
- “Before we can proceed, we need an objective assessment of the facts of the case,” said the detective.
- “I want an objective analysis of our cash flow problems on my desk by Monday morning,” said the board chair.
- In other words, the model is purely objective and ignores outside factors like personnel, coaching and motivation. – The Wall Street Journal
In grammar, objective means referring to nouns or pronouns used as the object in a sentence . Also, see article on objective pronouns .
When to Use Subjective
For example,
- “My subjective stance,” wrote the columnist, “is that the pasta was not very delicious.”
- Journalists should not allow subjective views to contaminate hard news reporting.
- “The article suffers from subjective interpretations of data, and we reject it from publication in this journal,” wrote a peer reviewer.
- Measuring corruption is difficult and subjective, but in 2015 the group compiled a Corruption Perceptions Index that ranks 168 countries based on the perception of corruption in the public sector. – The New York Times
With regard to sentence-level grammar, subjective refers to nouns or pronouns used as the subject of a sentence. Also, see article on subjective pronouns .
Trick to Remember the Difference
Here is a helpful trick to remember subjective vs. objective . Since objective and observation both begin with the letter O , you can use this letter to link the words together in your mind.
Also, subjective and feelings both contain the letter S , which you can use as an additional mnemonic.
Is it objective or subjective? Objective and subjective are adjectives that refer to unbiased observations and biased evaluations , respectively. They each also have a grammatical sense, where they refer to the function and placement of nouns and pronouns in sentences.
- Something that is objective is not influenced by feelings or personal biases.
- Something that is subjective is up for personal interpretation and subject to personal feelings.
Since both subjective and feelings contain the letter S , you can use this shared feature as a mnemonic to help you remember which word is which.
If you still need help, remember to check this site for a quick refresher, as well as any time you need help with a difficult writing topic.